(1) Field of the Invention
The inventive concept disclosed is, in a very general sense, related to different embodiments of cooking apparatuses that are used for supporting a single pot or cooking utensil directly atop a heat source. For instance, typical gas or electric cooktop grates have been designed to support small and large pots that span the entire area above a burner on the cooktop. However, in a completely different application of such mechanisms, the inventive concept described herein is concerned with a mechanism for the support of pots, and other containers of foodstuffs directly above an outdoor cooking grill or smoker.
(2) Description of the Related Art, Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
The following materials present inventive concepts that feature devices designed to perform cooking functions related to the general area of the disclosure herein.
US Published Patent Application #2011/0290231 (Dec. 1, 2011) A gas burner includes a burner body and a simmer plate assembly. The burner body includes a central cavity in which at least one flame is provided. The simmer plate assembly includes a plate portion and a base portion configured to support the plate portion. The assembly is configured to be at least partially and removably inserted into the central cavity. The plate portion is configured to act as a barrier between the at least one flame and a heated object placed above the gas burner.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,650,882 (Jan. 26, 2010) A pot support for a ceramic glass cooktop having integrally formed grates. The pot support is formed of a material able to withstand gas cooking temperatures without substantial alteration of its shape or composition. The pot support is configured to rest in a stable position over a gas burner head to support a relatively small diameter utensil centered over the burner head and to cooperate with the integrally formed grate to support large or small diameter utensils that are supported over the burner off-center relative to the grate.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,661,421 (Feb. 16, 2010) A wok support ring supports the weight of a wok and food items to be cooked in the wok and imparts a rocking motion to the wok as it is moved in a back and forth motion by the worker. A wok rocking device includes the use of a wok support base which moves in a rocking motion via cam tracks with roller followers. When the worker pulls the wok in a back and forth motion, the rollers follow the cam track to cause the wok to rise rapidly and then rock forward near the end of the stroke. A wok rocking device also can utilize movable linkages attached to a wok support base in order to create the rocking motion needed to mix and fold the food items within the wok.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,470,879 (Oct. 29, 2002) The cooking apparatus includes a glass-ceramic panel (1), which has at least one cooking area; a gas burner (3) providing an open flame (3); a cooking vessel support (5) including feet (5b) and a resting surface for a cooking vessel (6) placed on the cooking vessel support (5); and a device for holding the cooking vessel support (5) mechanically fixed and centered over the gas burner (3) including a foot holding device for holding the cooking vessel support (5). The foot holding device includes foot holders (7) for the respective feet, which are preferably formed by depressed or raised regions in the glass-ceramic panel or foot holder parts attached to it.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,212 (Mar. 6, 2001) The cooking apparatus includes a glass or glass-ceramic plate (1) providing a cooking surface with a cooking area and provided with a through-going opening (2) in the cooking area; a gas burner (3, 19, 21) arranged in or under the throughgoing opening (2) in the glass or glass-ceramic plate (1), which has a burner ring (3b) for supporting an open flame (3a, 19a, 21a); a cooking vessel support (5,5a) arranged on the glass or glass-ceramic plate over the through-going opening (2) which has a resting surface for a cooking vessel (6) and a device for supplying a mixture of combustible gas and primary air to the burner ring (3b) to form the open flame, whereby substantially all of the secondary air is drawn from a chamber or space under the glass or glass-ceramic plate (1).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,295 (May 23, 1989) A fondue stand having four vertically upstanding partition walls defining upper edge surfaces upon which is supported a fondue pot. The vertical partition walls are angularly spaced apart on a main supporting frame such that, when the fondue pot is supported on the upper edge surfaces, the partition walls lie in vertical planes offset from, or at an angle to, the vertical planes containing the diameters of the circular cross section of the fondue pot. In an alternative embodiment, a security ring for a stove range is provided, with the main body portion being circular and having a central cutout from which extends a hollow central hub insertable into the circular opening of the range of the stove, for supporting pots and pans in a safe manner on the range.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,752 (Jul. 6, 1982) A collar-like device for reducing lateral heat dissipation from range top heating elements during cooking operations. An integrally-formed annular collar means of generally frusto-conical configuration is adapted to rest atop a range, in surrounding relation to a heating element disposed on said range top. A generally toroidally-shaped pocket of heated air surrounds an item of cookware adjacent its lower portion when such cookware is slideably received within the opening of the collar-like device surrounding the element. A first alternative embodiment has a hollow collar so that a dead air space interiorly of the collar-like device provides an additional thermal barrier. A second alternative embodiment provides a plurality of successively smaller nesting collars to accommodate cookware of differing sizes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,559 (Dec. 15, 1981) The present invention is a round-bottom flask support which comprises a base of honeycomb or honeycomb-like material flat on its lower surface and having a concave upper surface substantially complementary to the flask it is designed to support. The cross section of the base is preferably cylindrical and a cylindrical annular ring engaging the periphery of the base and upper surface can be provided for added dimension stability. The upper surface of the base preferably has a semi-spherical configuration produced by compression of the upper surface of the base toward the lower surface to create “pleats” in at least some cell walls. This provides an added mechanical lock at the cell nodes which reduces the tendency of the honeycomb to separate at the cell nodes and is of particular advantage where the honeycomb is subjected to high temperatures and the adhesive bond may be weakened. The honeycomb base is usually aligned so that the cells extend transversely to the lower surface of the base and at least some cells usually communicate between the lower surface and the upper surface of the base.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,120 (Nov. 21, 1978; Bourboulis) Apparatus for distributing heat from a heat source relatively evenly over the bottom of a vessel to be heated is disclosed. A first annular element is provided which includes an upwardly concave dish-shaped annulus circumscribing a hollow center. A releasable connecting element of a first type is located on the underside of the first annular element. A second annular element includes an upwardly concave dish-shaped annulus which is larger than the annulus of the first annular element. A releasable connecting element of a second type complementary to the first type is located on the inner periphery of the annulus of the second annular element so that the elements can be locked together for use and disassembled for cleaning.